Machine for sewing on buttons



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J MATHISON. MACHINE FOR SEWING 0N BUTTONS. No. 268,369.

Patented Nov. 28, 1882'. Y

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J. IVIA'THISON.V MACHINE FOB SEWING 0N BUTTONS. y 268,369. Patented Nov.28, 1882.

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(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 4, J. MATHISON. MACHINE POE SEWING 0NBUTTONS.

Patented Nov. 28, 1882.

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J. MATHISON.

MACHINE FOR SEWING 0N BUTTONS. No. 268,369. Patented Nov. 28.1882.

0., .fu e e h s s t e e .n s 6 N 0 S Tl- H m1 A M J. u d o M 0 m MACHINEFON SEWING 0N BUTTONS. No. 268,369.

Patented Nov. 28. 1882.

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N. PETERs Photo-Lidmgmpher. washngmn. D. a

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH MATHISON, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND WILLIAMD. ALLEN, OF SAME PLACE, AND O. B. LANCASTER, OF

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR SEWING ON BUTTONS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 268,369, dated November28, 1882.

Application meu August 1,1882. (No inouei.) i

To all whom it may concern:

.Be it known that I, JosEPH MATHIsoN, of Lynn, in the county of Essexand State of Massachusetts, have invented certain'Improvements inMachines for SecuringButtons to Material, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention has for its object to provide a. machine adapted tosecure a series of buttons to a boot or shoe or other article by a con--tinuous thread or cord, in such manner that each button will beindependently attached, so that if the cord should break or be severedbetween the buttons the attachment would not be atl'ected.

The invention is intended to provide means for carrying in'to effect theimproved method ot' attaching buttons described in my application forLetters Patent of the United States tiled March 18', 1882, Serial No.55,723, said method consisting essentially in drawing a primary loop ofthread through the material to which the button is to be attached andalso through the eye of the button, then drawing a secondary loopthrough the material and through the primary loop outside ofthe eye ofthe button, tightening the primary loop, and finally passing thesecondary loop over the button and tightening said loop, therebyinterlocking both loops and forming a square knot, one loop or bight ofwhich passes thronghand the other around the eye of the button.

Ot' the accompanying drawings, forming 'a part ot' this specification,Figure 1 represents a perspective view ot' a portion ot' a machineembodying my invention. Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 represent similar views,illustrating different stages ot' the operation. `Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,and 12 represent the position of the button and the loops securing it atdifferent stages of the operation. Fig. 13 represents a side view ot'the loop-spreaders before they separate to spread and lower the loop.Fig. 14 represents a front view of the same. Fig. 15 represents a frontview of the spreader-s depressed and" separated. Fig. 15 represents aback view of the same. Fig. 16 represents a section on line .r a', Fig.l5. Fig. 16 represents 'a side view of the loopspreadersin positionshown in Figs.

15 and 16. Fig. 17 represents a perspective view of the wedge whichseparates the spreaders. Fig. 18 represents a side elevation oftheentire machine. Fig. 19 represents a section on line z z, Fig. 18. Fig.20 represents an ele' vation of the opposite side Of-the machine. Fig.20a represents a rear view of a portion of the machine, showing thelower portion of the raceway, support-ing standard and its guides. Fig.21 represents a section on line y y, Fig. 20. Fig. 22 represents abottom view. Fig. 23 represents a section on line Fig. 22, and a sideelevation of the arm of the machine with its side and parts of itsmechanism removed. Fig. 24E represents a section online y y', Fig. 22,and a sideelevation of the arm of the machine with its side removed.Figs. 24, 241, 24C, 24d, andr2ete represent details. Fig. 25, Sheet 4,represents a section on line a z', Fig. 22.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all thefigures. y In carrying ont my invention, I provide a suitablesupporting-frame, A, having a narrow elongated work-supporting arm, B,preferably horizontal, and ot' such size as to enable the upper of aboot or shoe to be drawn upon it, and allow said upper a free. movementlaterally of the arm. Said arm B is Vhollow and contains a vibratorythread-carrier, O, and suitable tension devices.

Above the thread-carrier is a needle-plate, D, forming a part oftheupper surface of the arm, and provided with a slot, s3, extendinglongitudinally of the arm, to permit the needle, hereinafter described,to pass downwardly through the needle-plate, and move longitudinally ofthe arm to t'eed the material while depressed.

E represents the neck or arm, supporting the needle, presser, andcast-off bars, and located over the work-supporting arm B.

The needle-bar F and cast-ott' bar G are directly supported in acarrier, H, which is pro- '2 aegee@ to the outer end of which is pivoteda lever, W, said lever being pivoted at a to the neck E, and providedwith a roller, Z), at its lower end,which bears upon the periphery ofadisk, c, on the driving-shaft- R, said disk having two projecting cams,e j'. The lever XV is held in yielding contact with theperiphery ofthedisk c and its cams by a sp1-ing, g, and 0is oscilla-ted by said camsand spring, thereby reciprocating the carrier H horizontally,thelatterbeing moved inwardly i'rom the outer end ofthe neck E hy each cam, andoutwardly by the spring. The cam fis shorter and has less outwardprojection than the cam e, and therefore gives the carrier H an inwardmovement, which is of less extent and shorter duration than thatimpartedby the cam e. The movementsimparted respectively by thccamsfand e to thecarrier H, produce what are hereinafter termed primary 7 and secondary 7lateral or feed movements of the needle while the ,latter is in thematerial.

The needle-bar F is provided with a stud or pin, O, which projectstliirongh a vertical slot, P, in the carrier H and enters an orifice, N,in a slide, M, which is fitted in a slot, L, in an oscillating lever, J.Said lever is pivoted at K to the neck, and is oscillated vertically bymeans ot' a cam-groove, P, in a disk, @,on the driving-shaft 1i, and aconnected rod, S, having astud or roller, T, entering said cam-groove.The connecting-rod S has a slot, U, through which the shaft R passes.rithe needle-har F is thus reeiprocated vertically, the slide M in thelever J enabling said bar to be reciprocated vertically while at anypoint to which it is moved laterally.

The cast-od bar G is provided with two projections, la h, between whichis a stud, t', attached to the needle-bar, said stud having aconsiderable independent movement between the projections h 7L, so thatas the needle-bar rises and falls the stud t' moves the cast oit' bar toalimited extent in the same directions, theI movements thus impartedcausing the cast-ot't to be operated in the usual manner in casting offthe primary loop, as hereinafter described; but, as it is necessary togive the east-oit' an independent downward movement whilethe needle isdepressed and moving laterally during` the secondary feed movement,before alluded to, I provide at the top of the neck E a bellcrank lever,a3,piv'oted to an arm on the neck, and so located that when theneedle-bar is m akingits secondary or longer t'eed movement the upperend of said bar will strike a projection, a5, on one arm ofthe lever c3,as shown in Fig. 24", and turn said lever on its pivot, thereby pressingits other arm, which has a projection, a7, downwardly on a pin orstud,c, ou the castoft bar, and depressing the latter, as shown in Fig. 24",just before the needle-har rises at the completion ofthe outward or feedmovement.

The presser-bar j is provided with an elongated presser-toot, 7c,composed of two arms, 2 3, connected by a block or enlargement, c3, to

which the presser-bar is attached, and separated by a slot, l, extendinglongitudinally of' the'work-supporting arm and coinciding with the slots3 in the needle-plate D. The sides of the slot l are formed to supportthe head of the button ofthe kind shown, in an upright position with itsedge or shank projecting downwardly into said slot, so that when thesecondary loop is pulled in, as hereinafter described, it willnecessarily inclose the shankv of the button.

The worleholding arms or branches 2 3 are curved upwardly at their rearends, and the curved portions are separated from each other by a muchwider space than the slot l, so that the attached button can pass freelyback from the presser-foot, either in the direction ot' the length ofthework-supporting arm or diagonally. This arrangement. enablesashoe-upper,to which the buttons are attached in a curved row, to be freely i'edalong without obstruction of the attached buttons by thepresser-foot,said buttons moving diagonally back from the pressenfoot. Thepresser-bar is raised to permit the work to be fed by the lateralmovements of the needle by a bell-crank lever, on,

Ypivoted at n to the neck E, and connected by a rod, o, to a lever, p,which is pivoted at a,

and has a roller, r, bearing on the periphery ot" the disk Q on theshaft lt, said disk having the camgroove p in its side.

The disk Q has two cam-projections, t t, which act alternately on theroller r, and swing the lever p in the direction required to raise thepresser-bar. A. spring, u, on the outside ofthe neck E, bearing on astud, fv, projecting from the presser-bar, presses downwardly on saidbar and the pressert'oot, and forces the latter down upon the work whenthe cam t ceases to act on the lever p.

A hand-lever, nt, is pivoted to the outer surt'ace of the neck E, toenable the operator to raise the presser foot independently. Thepresser-foot is provided at its upper end with an enlargement, a3,having ears a a', in which isjournaled a rod or arbor, b', havingbetween the ears e a an enlargement or collar, c, rigidly secured tosaid rod or arbor.

d d' represent arms pivoted at e e to the collar c', and adapted toswing on their pivots toward and from each other. These arms, which Iterm loop-spreadersf7 are provided at their swinging ends with hooksfj", and on their front sides with siiring-iingers g' g', said hooks andtingers cooperating in grasping a loop of thread, as hereinafterdescribed.

li represents an arm journaled on the rod I1', so as to turnindependently thereon,-and provided with a curved wedge, i', adapted tobe inserted between the spreaders d and separate the same, as shown inFigs. 1,3, 15, and 16. rEhe collar c is cnt away or slotted centrally toreceive the arm L, and the slot terminates atone side of said arm in ashoulder, 7c', adapted to bear against a corresponding shoulder, j',formed on the arm.

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The rod bis provided with an arm, Z', connected by means ofan adjustabletrunnion, m', with an adjustable socketed ear, n', on'a rod, o', whichextends backwardly and `is pivoted to a lever, p', the latter beingpivoted at q to the frame A, a-nd provided with a roller, fr', enteringa Ycam-groove, s', in a disk, on the driving-shaft.

The ro'd b is oscillated by means ofthe camgrooves andtheintermediatedevices, the camgroove being formed, as shown, to givethe rod the following movements, viz: The spreaders being directly underthe collar to which they are pivoted, as shown in Figs. 1,3,15, and 16,and being held apart from each other by the wedge z", the spreaders arenext moved forward, leaving the wedge, which is held in the positionshown by aspring, u', which holds a leather buffer, v, on the arm hagainst the bottom of the enlargement a3 of the presserbar. Eachspreader is provided with a spring, a2, which is secured at one end tothe block c and at the other end to the spreader, as shown in Fig. 15a,and presses the spreader inwardly, so that asthe spreaders pass forwardbe youd the wedge and upward they closeinwardly, as shown in Figs. 13and 14. Before the spreaders complete their forward movementv theshoulder 7c' on the collar c comes in contact with the shoulderj on thewedge-artn h', and causes the wedge to move forward with the spreaders,the latter remaining closed, however, in advance ot' the wedge. When thepivoted to an extension of the enlargement of the presser-toot, engagesautomatically with a tooth, c?, on the rear portion of the wedge, asshown in Fig. 13, and locksthe wedge in the position shown, so that itis ready to separate the spreaders on their return or downward movement.The spreaders having entered a loop ot' thread, as hereinafterdescribed, are next moved backwardly and downwardly, and during saidmovement are separated by the wedge, as shown in Figs. 1,- 2, 15, and16. When the spreaders have nearly completed their downward movement anarm, d2, attached to the collar c', strikes a lateral projection on thedogV b2, as shown in Fig. 16, and disengages the dog from the tooth ofthe wedge', the latter, under the influence ot' the springr u, resumingits original position. (Shown in Figs. 16 and 16a.)

The time of the described movements of the `spreaders` with relation tothe movements ot the needle is more particularly described in thegeneral operation ot' the machine.

f2 represents the button-reservoir, and g2 the inclined raceway leadingtherefrom. The raceway is curved inwardly at its lower end, and is givena quarter-twist, so as to present the eyes of the buttons sidewise tothe needle, as shown in Fig. 1. The raccway is formed to permit thebuttons to be drawn from its end, instead of being drawn out laterally,as in my Patent No. 252,117, dated January 10, 188,2.

The lowerend of the raceway is provided with ayielding spring, w, whichprojects partly across the raceway, and bears against the lower buttons,and constitutes a. yielding stop, holding each button therein insuccession until said button is withdrawn from the raceway, as describedhereinafter. 'lhe raceway is supported with `the reservoir on a postcomposed of two sectious,h2 and i2. The lower end ot' the section h2, towhich the reservoir and raceway are directly attached, is journaled onthe section i2, which is adapted to slide horizontally in guides jz onthe frame A. The raeeway is therefore adapted to oscillate laterally ofthe work-supporting arm and to re ciprocate longitudinally thereof. Thepivoted section h2 is provided with'an arnnj, having a screw, 7a2, onits outer end bearing against the side of the neck E. The neck isprovided with an inclined or diagonal surface, Z2, over which the screwk2 passes when the raceway is moved longitudinally. A spring, m2,extending from a stud on the section h2 to a stud on the section i2,draws the raceway inwardly toward -the neck F. When the raceway -ismoving backwardly from the outer end of the work-supporting arm itsscrew k2, in passing over the diagonal surface Z2, is forced outwardly,thereby swinging the racewayI outwardly. The swinging and longitudinalmovements of the racewa-y cause the delivering or lower end of theraceway to move diagonally from the position it occupies when presentinga button to the needle, as shown inFig. 1, to the position it occupiesafter the button has been withdrawn `from the raceway, as shown in Figs.L.Land 5. The sectional post [L2 il is reciproeated -in its lguides bymeans of a lever, o2, pivoted at pl to the frame A, engaged at its lowerend by a roller with a cam-groove, r2, in a disk, s2, on thedriving'shat't, and at its upper end with a block, t2, pivoted tothesection 2, the upper end ofthe lever being bifur cated to embrace theblock t2..

The thread-carrier, which operates in the usual manner, is supported ina vertical roekshaft, u2, having an arm, '02, which is connected by arod, 202, with a lever, m2, which is pivoted at y2 to the frame A, andhas a roller engaged with a earn-groove, z2, in the dish c 0n thedriving-shaft, said devices oscillating the carrier and causing it toalternately hold the thread away from and press it against the hook sideofthe needle.

Operation: The button-raceway being in position, as shown in Fig. l, theeye ofthe lower button, zr, is held under the needle. The needledescends through tte'eye ot' the button, the material, and theneedle-plate. The needle then makes its shorter or primary feed movementwhile down. At the same time the thread'guide swings around to press thethread against the hook side of the needle. The needle is then raisedand draws a primary loop, G, through the eye ofthe button, as shown inFig. 3. rlhen the needle is moved back to its IOO IOS

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first position, passes down through the first loop, as seen in Fig. 4,outside the eye of the button, through the material and the needleplate.While the hook of the needle is perforating the material the raceway ismoved backwardly, and the loop C is then caused to pull the last buttonpast the yielding spring w and ont of the raceway. as shown in Fig. 4.The needle then makes its longer or secondary feed movement, and thethread-guide again moves to press the thread against the hook ot' theneedle. lVhile the needle is making its secondary feed movement thecast-off is moved down to the material by the arm a3 and casts off theloop C. The needle rises, and as it rises draws up a secondary loop, D',through the iirst loop, as shown in Fig. 5. The operation of drawing'the srcondary loop entirely up tightens the primary loop, as shown inFigs. 6 and 9. The needle then drops enough to free the hook from thecast-ofi', so as to release the loop from the hook ot' the needle. rlhespreaders swing toward the needle at the same time, and the hooks of thespreaders, which are now close together, enter the loop as soon as theloop is released from the hook of the needle. The forward swinging move-'ment of the s'preaders after the hooks enter the loop is sufficient todeflect or bend the loop away from the needle. rIhe spreaders thencommence to recede from the needle, and at the same time are separatedat their hooked ends, thus spreading the loop into a triangular form,and carrying' it over the head Yot' the button, as shown in Figs. l andl0.

The springs g serve to hold the loop upon the hooks during theirreceding and separating movements. While theloop D is beingopened andcarried over the head ot' the button the needle is moved to its originalposition, and at the same time the raceway returns to its originalposition, so as to present its lower button to the needle. rlhe needlethen descends through the eye of the lower button in the raceway,engages with the thread, which is again presented to it by thethread-carrier, and draws up another primary loop through the eye ofsaid lower button. rIhe operation ot' drawing up the last-named loopdraws in the secondary loop previously drawn over the preceding button,drawing said loop inwardly and interlocking it with the primary loop ofsaid button, thus forming the square knot which secures the button tothe material, as shown in Fig. ll. The above-described steps are takenin the attachment of each button.

cf* represents a bent arm, which is pivoted to the extension of theupper part of the presser-foot, and is held by a spring, d3, against anadjustable stud, e3, on the rod 0. One end of said arm c3 projects infront of the spreaders, and is raised and lowered by the action oftherod o and spring d3. The arm c3 is brought down upon the secondary loopwhile said loop is in the position shown in Fig. 1, and prevents theloop from rising and failing to be drawn'nnder the button when it'istightened by the operation of drawing up the succeeding primary loop, asabove described, in case the springs g g release the loop before it istightened or if from any cause the loop has a tendency to rise above thebutton it is intended to aid in securing.

I do not limit myself to the employment of the arm as, however, as it isonly intended as an auxiliary device to guard against the accidentalloosening ofthe loop.

l do not limit myself'to the particular devices shown for forming theknot which attaches the buttons, as said devices may be variouslymodified without departing from the spirit ot' my invention.

The cams ef, which impart the primary and secondary feed movements tothe needle, are madeadjustable as to their projection from the peripheryofthe disk c, to which they are attached, so that the length of saidfeed movements, or either of them can be varied, 'as may be desired. Tothis end each of said cams is attached to the disk c by screws s4 s, theheads of which are conntersunk in the outer surfaces of the cams andscrews 35 85, whose heads are provided with ilanges countersnnk in theinner surfaces of said cams, as shown in Fig. 24. The screws s4 hold thecams to the disk, and the screws S5 regulate the approach ofthe cams totheir seats on the disk, the cams heilig movable toward and from thedisk.

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l. In a machine for attaching buttonsfthe combination ofbutton-feedingmechanism, and mechanism for lirst drawing a primaryloopof thread through the material and the eye of a button; secondly,drawing a secondary loop through the material and through. the primaryloop outside of the eye of the button 5 thirdly, throwing the secondaryloop over the head of the button and iinally forming said loops into asquare-knot, as set forth.

2. In a machine for attaching buttons, the combination of loop-formingmechanism, button-feeding mechanism whereby a button is presented to theneedle of the loop-forming mechanism, means for imparting to said needlethe primary and secondary 4feed movements described, whereby first theprimary and secondary loops are drawn respectively through and outsideof the eye ofthe button, and, secondly, the material with thepartially-attached button is advanced,and devices for spreading anddepressing the secondary loop after the IIO material is advanced, tocause said loop to inclose the button and hold it until tightened by thesubsequent action of the loop-forming mechanism, as set forth.

3. In a machine for attaching buttons, the combination of button-feedingmechanism, a longitudinally --slotted presser-foot, a loopformingmechanism, means for imparting to the needle and cast-oli' of theloop-forming mechanism the primary and secondary lateral movementsdescribed, means, substantially as described, for verticallyreciprocating the castoff at differentpoints in its lateral movements,

and loop-spreading devices, all arranged and Y operated substantially asdescribed.

4. The presser-foot composed of. two connected-arms'separat'ed by alongitudinal slot, the sides of which are adapted to support a buttonand having an enlarged rear opening to permit the passage of an attachedbutton, as set forth.

5. The combination, with the button-feeding and loop-forming mechanism,of the loopspreaders and'mechanism for inserting said spreaders into thesecondary loop and depressing and separating them to depress and spreadsaid loop, as set forth.

6. The combination of the rod b', having an enlargement or collar,mechanism for oscillating the same, the spreaders pivoted to said collarand pressed inwardly by springs, the wedge t", journaled on the rod, anddrawn backwardly by a spring, u', the shouldersj 7c', arranged asdescribed, whereby the spreaders are moved forward and in advance of thewedge, and the latter is subsequently moved with the spreaders, a dog,b2, to lock the wedge, and an arm, d2, to disengage the dog from thewedge when the spreaders move back` wardly, as set forth.

`7. The combination, with theloop-spreaders, of the auxiliaryloop-holding arm and mechanism for raising and lowering the same, as setforth. M

8.. The raceway pivoted to a longitudinallymovable support, i2, combinedwith meansl for oscillating the raceway and movingitlongitndinally, asset forth.

9. The combination of the raceway, the section h2, supporting theraceway, the longitudinally-movable section t2, having a pivotalconnection with the section h2, mechanism, substantially as described,for reciprocating the section 2 and the parts supported thereby,

and the fixed incline Z2, the arm ordevice k2 and horizontally movablein tixed guides,

means for giving said carrier first a short and then a longerreciprocating movement, mechanism, substantially as described, forreciprocatin g the needle-bar vertically, devices on the needle andcast-off bars causing the operation of the latter by the verticalmovements of the needle-bar, and an independent device operated by thelonger lateral movement of the needle-bar to depress the cast-olf bar,asset forth.-

11. The combination of the carrier H, reciprocated horizontally, asdescribed, the needle and cast-olf bars guided and moved laterally bythe carrier, the oscillating lever J,-having a slot, L, a slide, M, insaid slot engaged with a stud on the needle-bar, the projections h It onthe cast-off bar, and the interposed stud on the needle-bar, whereby thecast-oft' is operated during the vertical movements ot' the needle-bar,and the lever a?, pivoted to a fixed snpport and operated by the longerlateral movement of the needle-bar, to depress the cast-off, as setforth.

12. The raceway formed topermit thc removal of the buttons from its endand adapted to be moved longitudinally and laterally, as

described, combined with the spring fw, prowhile a loop is' being drawnthrough the eye thereof by the needle, and mechanism for moving theraceway backwardly while the said loop is held by the needle, therebywithdrawing the button from the racen-ay, as set forth.

14. In a machine for securing buttons, the combination, with theloop-forming and feeding mechanism, of the narrow elongatedworksupporting arm adapted to permit the free lateral and longitudinalmovement of a bootor shoe upper, and the presser-foot having a slotadapted to support a button while it is being attached, and an enlargedrear opening to permit the passage of the attached buttons, as setforth. Y

15. The combination, with the laterally-movable needle, of the cams@ji-and intermediate devices for moving the needle laterally, said camsbeing adjustable so as to regulate the feed movements of the needle, asset forth.

In testimony whereof lhave signed my name to this specification, in thepresence ot'two subscribing Witnesses, this 29th day of July,18S2.

JOSEPH M ATHISON.

Witnesses z C. F. BROWN, A. L. WHITE.

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